Staples Canada · 15 hours ago
Senior Closeout Category Merchant, Retail
Framingham, MA, United States
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level
6+ years expStaples Canada is accelerating its off-price and closeout business, and they are seeking a Senior Closeout Category Merchant with deep experience operating in a fast-paced, opportunistic buying environment. This role is responsible for identifying, negotiating, and procuring high-value closeout deals while cultivating vendor relationships and evaluating deal flow daily.
E-CommerceInformation TechnologyOffice Supplies
Responsibilities
Source, evaluate, and purchase closeout, excess inventory, and special-buy opportunities across multiple product categories
Make fast, well-informed buying decisions based on margin targets, brand value, quality standards, and store relevance
Partner with vendors, liquidators, manufacturers, and distributors to identify ongoing and one-time buying opportunities
Travel to vendor locations, trade shows, and marketplaces to assess products and negotiate deals
Build and maintain strong vendor networks to ensure a consistent pipeline of high-quality closeout offerings
Negotiate cost, terms, freight, quantities, and multi-load opportunities to deliver the strongest value for the business
Manage end-to-end deal flow—from discovery to purchase order to delivery into DCs and stores
Curate a compelling, ever-changing assortment that supports the treasure-hunt experience central to off-price retail
Balance branded opportunistic buys with core planned purchases to maximize customer excitement and sales productivity
Work closely with planning and allocation to ensure right quantities, flow, and in-store presentation
Own category financial performance including sales, gross margin, sell-through, turn, and targeted inventory levels
Analyze deal profitability quickly and accurately to ensure purchases meet financial thresholds
Manage OTB (Open-to-Buy) in a flexible, dynamic environment where deal flow changes daily
Partner with Store Operations, Marketing, Allocation, Inventory Planning, and Finance to support execution of off-price strategies
Influence partners to ensure fast movement from deal approval to store delivery
Support in-store presentation to highlight value, brand integrity, and the treasure-hunt experience
Develop and mentor junior buyers or merchandise specialists
Support cross-training in off-price buying practices, market trends, and negotiation strategies
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's Degree in business, marketing or operations OR equivalent work experience
6+ years of experience in off-price, opportunistic, closeout, or liquidation buying
Proven ability to evaluate deal profitability in real time and negotiate aggressively but strategically
Demonstrated success managing vendor relationships and securing high-value branded buys
Strong financial acumen with expertise in margin analysis, deal modeling, sell-through management, and Open-to-Buy ownership
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment with shifting priorities
Deep understanding of customer value perception within off-price retail
Preferred
Experience purchasing across multiple categories (general merchandise, housewares, stationery, seasonal, consumables, etc.)
Advanced negotiation training and experience handling multi-truckload or multi-million-dollar purchase commitments
Strong market intelligence: brand cycles, excess inventory patterns, supply chain trends, and off-price competitive landscape
Company
Staples Canada
STAPLES Canada is a company that sells office supplies, technology and equipments.
10001+ employees
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageLeadership Team
Brian McDougall
Chief Retail Officer
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